Online Health Tips Health Blog
Traveling is supposed to be fun. But sometimes being away from home and traveling in a new environment can put extra pressure on our bowels, causing some of us to get constipation . This is both distressing and uncomfortable, and the last thing we want on our holiday. Luckily, there are some preventative measures we can take to minimise the chances of getting constipated when we travel. Follow these guidelines and chances are you’ll be feeling regular the next time you travel abroad, giving you more time and energy to relax and enjoy yourself on your holiday.
Limit your consumption of fast food
As much as we hate to admit it, we often fall prey to eating at well-known fast food outlets when we travel. Although getting a Big Mac or a Zinger burger every once in a while is okay, try and avoid them as much as possible. As well as being generally bad for your health, they can also contribute to you getting constipation , as they don’t contain much fiber. If you do end up getting your “comfort food” fix overseas, then make sure you eat lots of fresh fruit, vegies and whole grain crackers and cereals (all high-fiber foods) to help your body feel regular again.
Stay away from low fiber foods
Also, try and avoid cheese, ice cream and all processed foods when traveling. Sure, they may taste good, but they don’t contain much fiber, and they’ll increase your chances of suffering a bout of constipation when you’re on your holiday.
Drink more fluids – preferably water
We often do a lot of walking when we travel: to the temple or church, to the beach, to the cafe… If we’re traveling in hot and humid destinations then chances are we’ll sweat – a lot. This is not good for your health as sweating depletes your body of much needed water, and can lead to dehydration – which is a common cause of constipation. So make sure you’re drinking enough (clean) water when you travel (around 2 liters per day). Not only will this help prevent getting constipation in the first place, but it’ll also help make your stools softer and easier to pass. As a side note, limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol. Both of these will dehydrate your body and increase your chances of getting constipated.
Try and avoid extended periods of inactivity
This one’s pretty simple. Make sure you move about as much as possible when you travel. Not only is this great for your cardiovascular system, but staying active can also prevent constipation by helping your metabolism chug along. Being active also gets your muscles working to move waste through your system.
Don’t be afraid to use the toilet
Last but not least, don’t try and “hold it in” when you travel. Although Asian squat toilets do take some getting used to for Westerners, and some toilets may not be as clean as we’d like, you need to “go” when you need to go. It’s really as simple as that. Suppressing the urge won’t do you any favours. If anything, it’ll start a chain of events that’ll result in you feeling constipated.
Hopefully, by keeping the above in mind the next time you travel, your next holiday overseas will be constipation free, and you’ll get the relaxation and good times you deserve.